[Stephen had just been martyred.] And a great wave of persecution of the believers began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem, and everyone except the apostles fled into Judea and Samaria. But the believers who had fled Jerusalem went everywhere preaching the Good News about Jesus! Philip, for instance, went to the city of Samaria and told the people there about Christ. Crowds listened intently to what he had to say because of the miracles he did. Many evil spirits were cast out, screaming as they left their victims, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed, so there was much joy in that city!

   A man named Simon had formerly been a sorcerer there for many years; he was a very influential, proud man because of the amazing things he could do - in fact, the Samaritan people often spoke of him as the Messiah. But now they believed Philip's message that Jesus was the Messiah, and his words concerning the Kingdom of God; and many men and women were baptized. Then Simon himself believed and was baptized and began following Philip wherever he went, and was amazed by the miracles he did. When the apostles back in Jerusalem heard that the people of Samaria had accepted God's message, they sent down Peter and John. As soon as they arrived, they began praying for these new Christians to receive the Holy Spirit, for as yet He had not come upon any of them. For they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John laid their hands upon these believers, and they received the Holy Spirit.

   When Simon saw this - that the Holy Spirit was given when the apostles placed their hands upon people's heads - he offered money to buy this power. "Let me have this power too," he exclaimed, "so that when I lay my hands on people, they will receive the Holy Spirit!" But Peter replied, "Your money perish with you for thinking God's gift can be bought! You can have no part in this, for your heart is not right before God. Repent, then, from this evil plan of yours, and pray to the Lord that He will forgive you for thinking such a thing as this. For I can see that you are full of bitter envy, and are a prisoner of sin." Simon said to Peter and John, "Please pray to the Lord for me, so that none of these things you said will happen to me."

Taken from Acts 8, The Living Bible and Today's English Version.
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